Growing up in India, I spent most of my summer vacations traveling to many hill stations in North India. My dad enjoyed escaping the hot summer in Lucknow by enjoying the cool breeze in various cities in Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh. Due to this, I never got to explore Rajasthan while in my teenage. I was often mesmerized by the visuals of palaces in Rajasthan I saw both in Bollywood films as well the coffee table books you find about India. This was the India that demonstrated royalty and luxury like no other regions in the country. And this was the India that definitely didn’t make it to the mainstream Western media who often depicted India with the visuals of slums. As an architecture and history buff, I knew I had to travel to this part of India and experience firsthand the lifestyles of Rajputs. This past winter, I had a couple of American friends visit me in India and we decided to do a trip together. I told them about my obsession with Rajasthan and wanting to explore some of the cities there. Since I had been to Jaipur earlier, I chose Jodhpur and Udaipur for this trip. And off we go.

If it’s your first time traveling to India, you should know that India is a pretty diverse country not only in terms of religion, languages but also geography. The state of Rajasthan borders Pakistan and largely comprises of Thar dessert. This region tends to experience very hot weather since the sun shines very bright almost every day of the year. Make sure to carry a lot of linen and cotton-based clothing when visiting Jodhpur.

How long to Stay

Since we were city hopping, we ended up spending 2 days in Jodhpur. I feel like that is an adequate amount of time to spend in the city if you are planning to visit other cities in Rajasthan. It is even possible to fit in all the sightseeing in 1 day if you are okay with having an early start.

Getting there and getting around

If you are coming in from Delhi or Mumbai, your best option will be to fly there. Jet airways recently added flights from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Indore and Raipur as a part of connecting Tier 2 cities program launched by the Indian government. The airport is located 5 KM away from the city center and you will be better off calling an Uber or Ola (India’s equivalent of Uber) to get to your hotel. Don’t try to get a prepaid taxi or autorickshaw from the airport as it is highly overpriced. If you are traveling from other parts of the country, you can take the train, buses (especially if you are traveling from other cities in Rajasthan) or a cab (it’s very cheap to hire a private cab for inter-city travels in India) to get to Jodhpur.

Since it’s a pretty huge city, you cannot just walk to all the attractions that the city has to offer. Unless you are on a shoestring budget, I would recommend avoiding the public buses. You should use Ola/Uber to book your trips for sightseeing purposes. It is pretty convenient and is not very pricey. Another favorite and most common mode of transportation in the city is Auto rickshaw. They are readily available but would involve serious negotiating since they don’t operate on meter. You should fix fare before you get on board. Recently, I saw that Ola lets you book Autos from their app itself so use this option if you don’t speak the local language.

Where to stay

Jodhpur is known for a lot of local boutique heritage hotels. Most of them have converted palaces and mansions into hotels and there is one available in every price range. Since hotels are very cheap in India, I would highly recommend staying in one vs a hostel or Airbnb. We ended up staying at Zone by the park hotel and it costed us $201.14 for 3 people for 2 nights. If money is not a problem for you and you want to enjoy the ultimate luxury, I would recommend staying in at the Umaid Bhawan Palace 😉

What to buy

When someone thinks of things to buy in Jodhpur, Jodhpurs/Jodhpuri pants are the first thing that come to mind. I don’t blame them since that’s the most popular thing came out of this city and traveled places. In terms of other things to buy from this city, here is the list:

• Bandhej – It’s a style of fabric/design usually meant for sarees, salwar kameez or scarves/stoles.
• Mojris/Jootis – These are typical Rajasthani shoes with a pointed front. Definitely a must buy if you want to look like a Maharaja.
• Handmade wooden showpieces – If you are planning to buy handicrafts or souvenirs of Indian antiques, make sure to buy them here since you will get it for significantly cheaper prices than in Delhi or Mumbai.
• Jodhpurs/Jodhpuris – These are riding breeches, cut full at the thighs but tight fitting from knee to ankle, usually worn while riding horses or playing polo.

What to see or do

• Mehrangarh Fort 

  The main attraction in the city of Jodhpur. It is also the largest fort in all of Rajasthan. Few scenes from the move the Dark Knight Rises were shot here. It is on top of a hill with commanding views all around. You can go up to the fort and get the views of the city (you will see why Jodhpur is called Blue city – most houses in the old city are painted in shades of blue) for free but to enter the complex which houses the palace, museum, temples and gardens you need to buy tickets. The palace is open 9 to 5 and costs Rs. 600 for foreigners (Rs. 400 for students) and you will have to pay extra for Video camera (Rs. 200) and still camera (Rs. 100). An audio guide is included in the entry fee. You will be asked to deposit a form of ID here and you can collect it at the end when you deposit the audio guide back. Since the palace is very huge and can be very overwhelming, here are some of my favorite things to see inside the fort:

  

• Moti Mahal: This roughly translates to Pearl Hall. This hall with pear-colored interiors and stained-glass windows is where the Maharjah held his audiences. The queens would listen in from the 5 alcoves on the far wall.
• Sheesh Mahal: This translates into Mirror Hall.
• Phool Mahal (Flower Hall): This was maharajah’s pleasure chamber and is definitely the most extravagant room in the whole palace.
• Zenana Deodi: Make sure to check out the exquisite carvings and delicate sandstone screens in this inner sanctum of the palace. 
• Museum: There are multiple galleries dedicated to fine arts, weaponry, palanquins, elephant-mounted seats and turbans. My favorite was the fine art gallery as it houses some of the paintings where you can see the finer details using magnifying glass. 

You will also encounter people dressed up in period costume and playing traditional instruments to give you the vibe of the palace.  

• Jaswant Thada

  Please don’t listen to the auto drivers who tell you it’s a long walk to Jaswant Thada from Mehrangarh fort. It’s a nice downhill walk of 1 km. This royal cenotaph is built in marble in a very photogenic location right next to a little but well-maintained lake. If I remember it right, it costs Rs. 30 to enter and Rs. 25 for the camera. 

• Stepwell

  A non-functional stepwell lies in the middle of old town. You can visit a lot of fancy boutique stores near here or enjoy a snack and cold beverage at the café right next to it. 

• Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar) & Sardar Market

  The clock tower is a popular landmark in the old city and is located next to the vibrant market that sells any and every thing. You can stroll around this area in the evening after you have finished your sightseeing. It is possible to climb up the tower and reach a balcony to get a view of the city. While climbing, you will also get to take a sneak peek at the clock’s mechanism. The timings are 10 am – 5 pm and it will only cost your Rs. 30. I would recommend visiting his area close to an hour so you can hear the bell and see the clock tower in action.

  

• Umaid Bhawan Palace

  This is the last palace that was built in India right before the Independence. Located in the southern part of the city, this is a part living palace and part 5-star hotel run by the Taj group of Hotels. The Maharajah of Jodhpur still lives here to this day. The entry to the hotel is restricted to the paying guests. However, if you call them and ask beforehand you can make a meal reservation that will include a tour of the property but comes with a hefty minimum spend of Rs. 5,000 per person at their restaurants.

• Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum

  There is a small museum on the grounds that is open to public that includes history of the palace as well as the Maharajah of Jodhpur. There are also vintage cars on display that is open to public. They also provide a guided tour of the museum which I would recommend avoiding since you see everything at your own pace. The entrance to the museum is Rs. 100 for non-Indians, and Rs. 30/10 for Indian adults and kids. 

To be completely honest with you, I was overwhelmed with Umaid Bhawan Palace and the Mehrangarh Fort. I may have to dedicate a post to each of them covering the details of these iconic institutions. Watch out for the next couple of posts for more details.

What to eat

Every city in Rajasthan has some local specialty when it comes to food. Make sure to definitely try to eat them here since you will not find them at other restaurants in India or India restaurants overseas. Here are some of the Jodhpur delicacies:

• Dal Baati Churma: Okay you might be able to find this outside of Jodhpur since it’s a very popular Rajasthani dish. It essentially is a meal in itself. Dal is lentils/gram curry, Baati is kind of hard wheat rolls and Churma is a sweet served alongside.
• Gatte ka saag: Vegetable curry dish.
• Kaju Draksh ki Sabji: It’s a curry made of cashews and raisins
• Gulab Jamin ki Sabji: It’s a delicious vegetable curry made of raw unsweet gulab jamun.

Since, I couldn’t afford a stay in Umaid Bhawan Palace but wanted to check out the hotel, I had no choice but to go for a meal at Pillars. It’s in the courtyard of the palace and serves one of the finest food in the whole city. For non-guests, they had a minimum spend of Rs. 5,000. You really need to call ahead to make a reservation since non-guests will be turned away if the hotel is fully booked. 

Have you been to India ? Did you manage to explore the state of Rajasthan ? What was your favorite city and palace?